This invention relates to a high protein bread and more particularly, to a high complete protein-enriched, soft white bread.
Bread is known to be one of the universally accepted foods used throughout the world. Bread is the principal food and provides more nutrients than any other single food source. It has been determined that in 53% of the countries, bread supplies over one-half of the total caloric intake, and in 87% of the countries, over 30%. In most western European countries, it is the source of one-half the carbohydrates, one-third of the proteins, over 50% of the B Vitamins, and over 75% of Vitamin E.
In the United States, enriched, soft white bread is the principal bread consumed and accounts for approximately 70% of the U.S. bread market. Since bread is so common to our diet, it has been fortified with Iron, Vitamin B1, B2 and Niacin. Protein improvement by use of milk and soy proteins has also been a common practice in the bakery industry for many years. However, fortification to achieve bread with significant quantities of "complete protein", i.e. protein efficiency ratio of 2.5, has not been achieved due to the technical problems associated with such a product. Flavor, texture, appearance, processing methods and tolerances and a balanced amino acid profile all were problems that had to be overcome.